Eichaed cheistie



(N0 Model.) R. CHRISTIE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

tented Se '0. 18, 1883.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RIcIIARn cHRIsrIR, or rRURo, NOVA SOOTIA, CANADA.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,230, dated September 18, 1883. Application filed March 26, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .RIOHARD CHRISTIE, of Truro, Province of Nova Scotia, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Fire-Escape, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to improve that class of fire-escapes in which a car is guided on stretched cables and suspended by a rope passing over a pulley and down to a Windlass. I

The features of improvement will first be described, and then pointed out in the claim. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a building on which my improved fire-escape is held. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective View of part of the ladder and of the car.

Two or more chains or cables, A, placed and arranged parallel, are united by rounds B, thus forming a ladder. One end of the ladder is secured to the roof of the building, or is passed over the roof of the building and held securely on the ground, and the other end of the ladder is securedto a winch, 0, se cured on the ground agreater or less distance from the building, by means of which winch "the ladder can be drawn as taut as may be necessary. A guide-plate, D, resting against the ladder, has its side edges bent over the side chains of the ladder for forming grooved flanges E, for holding the said plate on the ladder, and guiding it on the'same. A box or car, F, is provided with a cross-bar, G, 011 which a rod, H, is pivoted,.which is pivoted to the upper edge of the plate D. The boX or car F is suspended from one end of a chain or rope, J, which passes over a pulley, K, and has its other end secured to a winch, L, or any other suitable hoisting device. The pulley K is provided with a hook, M, for hooking it on any part of the ladder. The car or box is ,made of sheet-iron or of wire-netting, and is provided on the side toward the house with a downwardlyswinging platform, N, which is held from swinging down too far by chains 0,

attached to the ends of the car and to the outer corners of the platform. Aframe, P, pivoted to the ends of the car, is used to hold the platform N in its place after use, and when the platform is down this frame rests against the ladder and acts as a brace to prevent the platform of the car from swinging away from the building when people step on the platform or any weight is placed on it.

The fire-escape is used in the following manner: Afterthe chain ladder has been drawn taut, a person ascends the same and hangs the pulley K at the proper placethat is, higher than the window from which the persons are to be rescuedand then the bar K is raised. The same is guided along the ladder by the plate D, but always hangs plumb. When the car arrives at the desired window, the platform N is swung down and forms a bridge for the persons to enter the car, which is lowered after the persons are in it. The chain ladder can be moved to any desired window.

Having thus described Inyinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a fire escape, the combination, with the chain ladder A B, of the guide-plate D, the car F, the rod or bar H, connecting the plate D and the car, the pulley K, and the rope or chain J, substantiallyas herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fire escape, the combination, with the chain ladder A B, of the guide-plate D, the

car F, the rod or bar H, connecting the plate J, and the winch or analogous device L, subcar, and the chains 0, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the chain ladder A B, of the guide-plate D, the

car F, connected therewith, the pulley K, the rope or chain J, the hinged platform N on the car, the chains 0, and the pivoted frame P, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

' RICHARD CHRISTIE.

\Vitnesses: WV. M. GHRIsTIn, J osnrn BURGESS. 

